Crate fastener



' o. SLIGER CRATE FASTENER June 18, 1935.

Filed Dec. 20, 1934 Patented June 18,

, CRATE FASTENER" I j Oscar Sliger, St. Louis, Mo., ,assignor to The Mengel Company, Louisville, Ky., a corporation of New Jersey- Application December20, 1934, seri l No.'75s,50s

' GiCIaims @(1. 217 22) This invention pertains to bottle crates, and

more particularly to an improved means'for securing the partitions thereof to each other.

Bottle crates are, as is well known, subject to .5 rough treatment, both during commercial handling andfilling, as well as bythecareless usage in some homes. a

'I'he'main object of the present invention is;to provide an anchoring and securing means for the partition elements of thecrate, the structure being simple inform and construction and ous partitions. Y I A further objectfis to provide a securing device ready fQr'pIacement with reference to the variwhich when secured to oneseries of the parti-- tions, will present means'whi'ch acts to guide and to properly position the other series in place as the elements are assembled, and to maintain them in such relationship, this irrespective of any interlocking l or inter-engagement 'of the partition elements, as by a gained or notched' construction. The {invention is illustrated in the annexed drawing; wherein:

Figure 1 isa. perspective view of aerate with one of the partitions broken away to more fully.

disclose the, structures which fall within the scope of the invention;

Fig. 2, a perspective view, on'an enlarged scale showing sections of several partitions in differ ent relative positions and, likewiseys'everal of the partition positioning'and securing means;

Fig. 3, a planview of the flat cut or stamped out-blank from which duced; and

- Fig.4, a perspective view of one of the secur ing members, as seen looking toward-its lower face, with the component elements thereof brought to that position which they assume when r said elements standing opposite eachfother; in,

interlocked with the partition structure.

' In the drawing, the body of the crate is shown as of the usual commercial form, that is as ob-* long, the sides being denoted by In and H the ends by l2 and 13; and the bottom by M, these elements being secured together in any approved manner, as by nailing and the employment of binding straps l5 and l8.

The longitudinally extending partitions are the securing means is pro withextend upwardly and oppositely disposed gains as 20 and 2|. While such gains are preferable, with a view of interlocking the va.-

rious partitionstheir presence is not necessary,

as will presently appear. p v p The cross partitions l8 are slotted or notched out from theirupper edges downwardly; which} slots'are designated. by 22 and 22 respectively. The first slot will be somewhat narrower so that the side edges of the wall which form the-"slot, will enterthe gains 2!] and 2| and interlock the partitions IT and I8. 3 v, The slot 22, however," ls of a width equal to the thickness" of 'the transverse partition with'which, .4 it is designed to cooperate, inasmuch, as when the parts are-assembled, the side walls of this slot 22 will contact theside faces of the longitudinal: With'a viewoi' stabilizing the structure, it is preferred to use the notched and gained arrangement bestshown in the lower left-hand side of Fig; 2;

' The securing and anchoring device for the par} titions, to hold them-against displacement in any direction, 'one of which isdesigned to be positioned and secured at the upper edges of the: par titions where they cross throughout the series, is formed as above. noted, from a single piece of metal. It will be stamped or diedout to take the sliape shown in Fig. 3, after which it will prefer ably be partially bent to form, orto that shape shown in- Fig. 2, ready for application. It may be said to'comprise a mainbody' portion as 24 which, when the fastening is fully positioned,

will assume the shape of anvinverted U-channel,

pairs, and each at its lower end As will-beseenupon reference to Fig; 4j each of-these spurs extends inwardly. at right angles to the cheekof which it forms an" extension, and penetrates the partition or separator I! when the fastener is fully pressed down and the cheeks forced inwardly into contact with thevpartition.

Extending from the lower edge of the, channel or body and at each side as an integralv part'of the body are'what maybe termed side" 40 having a spur as '21 formed thereon.

By cutting the metal blank upon the lines a: and V 1/, (Fig. 3), and preferably cutting out a triangular section as :c and y at the inner end of each of said outs, a section of the blank is producedv which permits the outbending thereof to form a wing extending outwardly at right angles to each of the cheek members heretofore referred to.

These members stand in pairs opposite each other and are denoted by 28, 28, respectively, on one side, and 29, 29 respectively, on the opposite side.

As will be seen upon reference more particularly to Figs. 2 and 4, these wings are arranged in pairs, the wings of each pair standing parallel to each other and at right angles to the main body 24 of the fastener or anchoring element. They are spaced apart'a' distance sufficient to makeclose contact with the upper portionof the side faces of the cross partitions I3 when the fastener is forced downwardly and bent to final position.

By reason of the fact that the wings are arranged in pairs in parallel position, the fastener may be secured to the uppe'rf edge one partition and thereafter the other'cross partition moved upwardly with reference thereto and guided to its final place between the wings above. mentioned. Such a fastener, secured to a partition and adapted to receive the upper end of'another partition, is shown atthe extreme left-hand side ofFig.1. W i

The formation of the fastening device is such that it has a body member carrying the elements adapted to embracethe adjacent side faces of each of the cross partitions or separators, which elements or members stand at right angles to each other and certain of which carry means for bringing about an engagement of'the fastener with one or the other of said cross partitions.

Stated in a brief wayQthe fastening may be said to comprise a main'body. element adapted to overlie and partially conform to the contour of the partitions with which it is to be associated, together with embracing elements angular in out line and contacting the side faces ofeach partinot have tobe disposed of merely because one partition is broken.

age.

measure, brought'about by tapering theoutermost tion adjacent the upper marginalportion thereof.

I A further aspect of the structure involves the use of anchoring means such as the spurs 21. It is conceivable, however, that the latter maybe omitted and the cheeks and wings pressed inwardly to such an extent as to definitely hold the fastener in place throughffrictional engagement and slight indentation-of the material of which thes'eparators or partitions are formed.

Under either construction, the rightangle relation existing between the cheeks and wings ensures a close fit and binding action of said elements with the partitions at their point of crossing, preventing, any displacement short ofbreak The close fit just mentioned is also, in a edge of the prong and inclining it inwardly toward its point. This ensures a drawing, action which assists, in forcing the wings against the cross parwithout difiiculty and a new partition substituted andthe partsre-anchoredj thus, the crate does -By making the cut-outs in,theblankas 1: and y, the upper edge of each cheek will, when'the fastener is secured in place, lie below the upperedge of the partition with which it cooperates, thus precluding its catching upon anything, with a consequent breakage or possible displacement.

What is claimed is:

1.. An anchoring element for cross partitions of crate-like structures, comprising an inverted channel-shaped body portion; cheeks arranged in pairs at the sides of andadjacent each end of said portion; and a wing extending outwardly from the inner portion of each cheek at right angles thereto and as a continuation thereof.

' 2. An anchoring element for crossed partitions of crate-like structures, comprising an inverted channel-shaped body adapted to overlie the upper edge of one of said partitions; and a member extending downwardly from the body at the ends of the side portions thereof, said members each being substantially right angular in cross section, the apexes of the angles, when the anchoring element is positioned on the partitions, extending into the angles formed by the partitions at their lines of crossing and said members contacting the various faces of the partitions at and adjacent said lines.

3, A structure as set forth in claim 2, wherein an element of each of said L-shaped members is formed at its lower end with an inwardly extending prong.

4. A structure as set forth in claim 2, wherein an element of each of said 1..-shaped members is formed at its lower end with an inwardly extending prong, the outermost edge whereof is inclined inwardly toward its point.

5. An anchoring device for crosspartitions of a. crate-like structure, said device being produced from a single piece of sheet metal bentto form and comprising a body element, said body element having associated therewith four downwardly extending members each right angular in transverse cross section, each of said members, when the body element is positionedwith reference to the partitions at their zone or point of crossing, bearing directly against the sides of the partitions with its apex entering into the immediately adjacent reentrant angle formed by the partitions.

6. An anchoring device for cross partitions of a crate like structure, said device being produced from a single piece of sheet metal bent to form and comprising a body element, said body element having associated therewith four downwardly extending members each right angular in transverse cross section, the adjacent elements of each of said members standing in parallel relation to each other with the upper edge of'those elements which extend outwardly at right angles to the body element lying in a plane below that of the upper portion of said body element, and each of said members, when the body element is positioned with reference to the partitions at their zone or point of crossing, bearing directly against the sides of the partitions with the apex of its angle entering into the immediately adjacent reentrant angle formed by the partitions.

OSCAR SLIGER. 

